Vehicular vision system

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a camera, a near-infrared light emitter operable to illuminate at least part of a region viewed by the camera, and an electronic control unit having an image processor. While the camera is capturing frames of image data at a first rate, the near-infrared light emitter is pulsed on/off at a second rate. The first rate is at least two times the second rate. First frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter. The captured first frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a first vehicle function. Second frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is not illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter. The captured second frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a second vehicle function.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicular vision system, the vehicular vision system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system; 
 wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns; 
 wherein the camera is operable to capture color image data; 
 a near-infrared light emitter operable to illuminate at least part of a region viewed by the camera; 
 wherein the near-infrared light emitter comprises at least one near-infrared light emitting diode; 
 an electronic control unit (ECU); 
 wherein image data captured by the camera is transferred to the ECU; 
 wherein the ECU comprises an image processor that is operable to process image data captured by the camera; 
 wherein the camera captures frames of image data at a first rate; 
 wherein, while the camera is capturing frames of image data at the first rate, the near-infrared light emitter is pulsed on/off at a second rate; 
 wherein the first rate is at least two times the second rate; 
 wherein first frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter, and wherein the captured first frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a first vehicle function; 
 wherein second frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is not illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter, and wherein the captured second frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a second vehicle function; and 
 wherein the second vehicle function is different than the first vehicle function. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicular vision system of  claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle function comprises object detection. 
     
     
       3. The vehicular vision system of  claim 2 , wherein the first rate is 60 frames per second. 
     
     
       4. The vehicular vision system of  claim 3 , wherein the second rate is 30 pulses per second. 
     
     
       5. The vehicular vision system of  claim 2 , wherein the first rate is 90 frames per second. 
     
     
       6. The vehicular vision system of  claim 5 , wherein the second rate is 30 pulses per second. 
     
     
       7. The vehicular vision system of  claim 2 , wherein the first rate is 120 frames per second. 
     
     
       8. The vehicular vision system of  claim 7 , wherein the second rate is 30 pulses per second. 
     
     
       9. The vehicular vision system of  claim 2 , wherein the camera is disposed at a windshield of the vehicle and views forward of the vehicle through the windshield. 
     
     
       10. The vehicular vision system of  claim 9 , wherein the second vehicle function comprises headlamp control. 
     
     
       11. The vehicular vision system of  claim 1 , wherein the near-infrared light emitter comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes. 
     
     
       12. The vehicular vision system of  claim 1 , wherein the second vehicle function comprises display of video information at a video display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle. 
     
     
       13. The vehicular vision system of  claim 12 , wherein the video display device that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 
     
     
       14. The vehicular vision system of  claim 13 , wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle is disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of the vehicle. 
     
     
       15. The vehicular vision system of  claim 1 , wherein the region viewed by the camera comprises a region exterior of the vehicle. 
     
     
       16. The vehicular vision system of  claim 1 , wherein the image processor comprises an image processing chip. 
     
     
       17. A vehicular vision system, the vehicular vision system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system; 
 wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns; 
 wherein the camera is operable to capture color image data; 
 a near-infrared light emitter operable to illuminate at least part of a region viewed by the camera; 
 wherein the near-infrared light emitter comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes; 
 an electronic control unit (ECU); 
 wherein image data captured by the camera is transferred to the ECU; 
 wherein the ECU comprises an image processor that is operable to process image data captured by the camera; 
 wherein the camera captures frames of image data at a first rate; 
 wherein, while the camera is capturing frames of image data at the first rate, the near-infrared light emitter is pulsed on/off at a second rate; 
 wherein the first rate is at least two times the second rate; 
 wherein first frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter, and wherein the captured first frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a first vehicle function; 
 wherein second frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is not illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter, and wherein the captured second frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a second vehicle function; and 
 wherein the first vehicle function comprises object detection. 
 
     
     
       18. The vehicular vision system of  claim 17 , wherein the camera is disposed at a windshield of the vehicle and views forward of the vehicle through the windshield. 
     
     
       19. The vehicular vision system of  claim 18 , wherein the second vehicle function comprises headlamp control. 
     
     
       20. The vehicular vision system of  claim 17 , wherein the first rate is 60 frames per second. 
     
     
       21. The vehicular vision system of  claim 20 , wherein the second rate is 30 pulses per second. 
     
     
       22. The vehicular vision system of  claim 17 , wherein the first rate is 90 frames per second. 
     
     
       23. The vehicular vision system of  claim 22 , wherein the second rate is 30 pulses per second. 
     
     
       24. The vehicular vision system of  claim 17 , wherein the first rate is 120 frames per second. 
     
     
       25. The vehicular vision system of  claim 24 , wherein the second rate is 30 pulses per second. 
     
     
       26. The vehicular vision system of  claim 17 , wherein the second vehicle function comprises display of video information at a video display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle. 
     
     
       27. The vehicular vision system of  claim 26 , wherein the video display device that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 
     
     
       28. The vehicular vision system of  claim 27 , wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle is disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of the vehicle. 
     
     
       29. The vehicular vision system of  claim 17 , wherein the region viewed by the camera comprises a region exterior and rearward of the vehicle. 
     
     
       30. The vehicular vision system of  claim 29 , wherein the image processor comprises an image processing chip. 
     
     
       31. A vehicular vision system, the vehicular vision system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular vision system; 
 wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array having at least one million photosensor elements arranged in rows and columns; 
 wherein the camera is operable to capture color image data; 
 a near-infrared light emitter operable to illuminate at least part of a region viewed by the camera; 
 wherein the near-infrared light emitter comprises a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes; 
 an electronic control unit (ECU); 
 wherein image data captured by the camera is transferred to the ECU; 
 wherein the ECU comprises an image processor that is operable to process image data captured by the camera; 
 wherein the image processor comprises an image processing chip; 
 wherein the camera captures frames of image data at a first rate; 
 wherein, while the camera is capturing frames of image data at the first rate, the near-infrared light emitter is pulsed on/off at a second rate; 
 wherein the first rate is 60 frames per second; 
 wherein first frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter, and wherein the captured first frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a first vehicle function; 
 wherein second frames of image data are captured by the camera when the region is not illuminated by light emitted by the near-infrared light emitter, and wherein the captured second frames of image data are processed at the ECU for a second vehicle function; 
 wherein the second rate is 30 pulses per second; and 
 wherein the first vehicle function comprises object detection. 
 
     
     
       32. The vehicular vision system of  claim 31 , wherein the camera is disposed at a windshield of the vehicle and views forward of the vehicle through the windshield. 
     
     
       33. The vehicular vision system of  claim 32 , wherein the second vehicle function comprises headlamp control. 
     
     
       34. The vehicular vision system of  claim 31 , wherein the second vehicle function comprises display of video information at a video display device that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle. 
     
     
       35. The vehicular vision system of  claim 34 , wherein the video display device that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when operating the vehicle is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle. 
     
     
       36. The vehicular vision system of  claim 35 , wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle is disposed at an in-cabin side of a windshield of the vehicle. 
     
     
       37. The vehicular vision system of  claim 31 , wherein the region viewed by the camera comprises a region exterior and rearward of the vehicle.